Soon, smart cards for TN school kids

Chennai, Nov 24, 2012, DHNS:

Soon, students of government owned and aided schools across Tamil Nadu (TN) will each have a ''smart card'' bearing a unique identification number.

The first step towards an integrated data mapping of school children was initiated here on Saturday as Chief Minister J Jayalalitha launched the “smart card” scheme at a simple function held at the state secretariat.

Taking off as a pilot project, the “smart card” scheme is being initially implemented in five government higher secondary schools in Tiruchirappalli district. The scheme will be extended to all government owned and aided schools in phases to ultimately benefit nearly 91.55 lakh school students.

The “smart card” will contain basic information such as students name, details of their parents including their address and income, besides, other socially relevant information like their caste, blood group and other enrolment particulars.

Information collation and ordering is part of a bigger project to computerise data on all government owned and aided schools, and their teachers with basic information on all students, which is being uploaded onto a dedicated website.